FedEx Puts European Account in Review

NEW YORK Fedex will review its advertising account in Europe beginning in February and may do the same for Latin America, sources said.

BBDO is the client's global creative agency with AMV BBDO London handling the estimated $10 million Europe account, and BBDO Miami handling Latin America, whose regional billings could not immediately be determined.

BBDO New York won the U.S. business nearly 14 years ago and created a much-praised spot for the Super Bowl last week that depicted the character from "Castaway." Sources said the U.S. account, by far the biggest with a Jan.-Oct. 2002 media spend of $65 million, per CMR, is not affected, nor is Asia.

Sources said executives at the Memphis, Tenn., client are scheduled to meet next week to discuss the Europe review, which would likely be run from its Brussels office. Any Latin America review would be handled by Fedex's Miami office, a source said.

"The relationship issues have gone about as far as they can go," one source said of the situation between the client and AMV BBDO, declining to be more specific. A wobbly relationship is also said to exist between BBDO Miami and the client.

The brand tagline in Europe is "We live to deliver," but AMV BBDO has also run ads with the line, "Whatever it takes." In the U.S. the tagline is, "There's a Fedex for that."

Client representatives in Memphis had no comment. BBDO in New York also declined to comment.

NEW YORK Fedex will review its advertising account in Europe beginning in February and may do the same for Latin America, sources said.

BBDO is the client's global creative agency with AMV BBDO London handling the estimated $10 million Europe account, and BBDO Miami handling Latin America, whose regional billings could not immediately be determined.

BBDO New York won the U.S. business nearly 14 years ago and created a much-praised spot for the Super Bowl last week that depicted the character from "Castaway." Sources said the U.S. account, by far the biggest with a Jan.-Oct. 2002 media spend of $65 million, per CMR, is not affected, nor is Asia.

Sources said executives at the Memphis, Tenn., client are scheduled to meet next week to discuss the Europe review, which would likely be run from its Brussels office. Any Latin America review would be handled by Fedex's Miami office, a source said.

"The relationship issues have gone about as far as they can go," one source said of the situation between the client and AMV BBDO, declining to be more specific. A wobbly relationship is also said to exist between BBDO Miami and the client.

The brand tagline in Europe is "We live to deliver," but AMV BBDO has also run ads with the line, "Whatever it takes." In the U.S. the tagline is, "There's a Fedex for that."

Client representatives in Memphis had no comment. BBDO in New York also declined to comment.